The rain is landing on a chronic, deep drought in California, but flooding and mudslides may become a concern.

Tens of thousands of households lost power on Friday, and limbs had to be cleared from yards, windshields and roofs. As of Saturday afternoon more than 43,000 customers in Northern California still were without power, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said.

The utility said it called in crews from Oregon and Washington to help restore power to customers.

Mystery rain

An ashy rain dribbled onto Washington and Oregon on Friday, and people rubbed a dusty film off of their cars, took photos of their fingers and posted them online.

Distant volcanoes

Could the jet stream have tracked it over from the hyperactive Shiveluch volcano in eastern Russia? It pumped volcanic ash 20,000 feet into the sky in late January. The dust settled as far away as the American Northwest.